Staff Reporter :
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday stayed a High Court order that asked the state utility Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited to pay on an emergency basis Tk 0.5 million each to the families of the 37 victims of the deadly blasts at a mosque in Narayanganj’s Fatullah.
Chamber judge of the Appellate Division, Justice Md Nuruzzaman, passed the order after holding virtual hearing on two separate appeal petitions filed by the state and the Titas Gas against the High Court order.
The court at the same time sent the appeal petitions to the full Bench of the Appellate Division and fixed December 1 for detail hearing.
Advocate Taimur Alam Khondaker who appeared in the court on behalf of the petitioner said he would file an application with the Appellate Division for advance hearing on the matter.
The High Court on September 9 this year ordered the Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited to pay on an emergency basis Tk 0.5 million each to the families of the 37 victims of the deadly blasts at a mosque in Narayanganj’s Fatullah.
It also asked the gas transmission and distribution agency to make the payments in seven days after receiving the order and asked the deputy commissioner of Narayanganj to distribute the funds among the families.
The High Court Bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Barrister Mar-e-um Khondaker, a Supreme Court lawyer, seeking compensation for the victims’ families. The court also issued a rule asking the respondents to explain as to why they should not be directed to pay Tk 5.0 million each to the families of the 37 victims of the blasts.
13 respondents including power secretary, home secretary, housing and public works secretary, Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited, chairman RAJUK, DG of Fire Service and Civil Defense, DC and SP of Narayanganj, Dhaka Power Distribution Company, Dhaka Electric Supply Company and the committee of Baytus Salat Jame Mosque of Narayanganj had been asked to comply with the rule within four weeks.
A total of 37 victims were brought at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery after the explosions at West Tallah Baytus Salat Jame Mosque of Narayanganj after Esha prayers on September 4. Among them, 28 people already died till the HC had passed the order. Barrister Mar-e-um Khondaker filed the writ petition on September 7 seeking HC directives to give Tk 5.0 million as compensation to the families of the victims who died and suffered injuries from the blast.
Advocate Taimur Alam Khondaker took part in the hearing on behalf of the petitioner, while advocate AM Amin Uddin appeared for the Titas Gas and additional attorney general Murad Reza represented the state.
